II.

The Origins of Chivalry

Chivalry originated in two parallel developments: horse-mounted cavalry, which evolved to combat threats from invaders; and feudalism, the system of political and military relationships among the European nobility.

In the 9th and 10th centuries, western Europe was under attack by invading forces of Vikings, Magyars, Muslims, and other tribes. These invaders were often expert in waging war on horseback. The armies of the European nobles were composed primarily of foot soldiers and had difficulty combating these fast-moving forces. Consequently, many of the nobles began to use cavalry training and tactics in order to counter this threat. The first knights were armed warriors who fought on horseback.

However, the maintenance of horses was expensive, and cavalry training was a long process. To support their cavalry, the nobility began to grant land to their mounted warriors for the duration of their service. The land provided the income to support the knight. This system of land holding was part of feudalism. The knights gave military service to their feudal lord or king in return for the right to hold a piece of land or property. Eventually, knighthood became a mark of social distinction, and the opportunity to become a knight was usually limited to men of noble birth.

An unwritten contract governed the relationship between a king or a feudal lord and his knights. Each year a knight was to perform a specific number of days of military service, in exchange for which he received his lands and the lord’s protection. The knight was also expected to fight bravely for his lord, and to be loyal to him. Bravery and loyalty were the precursors of what was to become the code of chivalry.